I love Elton John

So this weekend I took my mom and sisters to go see Elton John in concert at the Mizzou Arena. It was pretty much the best concert I've ever seen. Ever.
Even our nosebleed seats were still really good. We were on the second level, 8 rows up, just of his right shoulder. At first I was bummed that we were sitting behind him, but that was actually so much better because we could really see him and not just his face and the giant piano. You can even see the reflection of his hands in the piano in my pictures.
I did get a little scolded by my sister for singing "Tiny Dancer" in her face. Apparently, I was "ruining the entire experience" for her. Whatever, I bought your ticket, you will listen to me sing and you will like it!
My mom mentioned that this was the first Elton concert she'd go to and not leave smelling like pot. I wasn't really sure how to take that. They don't come any more straight laced than my mom, so it was hard for me to wrap my mind around her at a concert surrounded by pot smoke. For my whole life, pot has just been what my mom cooked spaghetti in and that's it. But, I guess after my penis straw comment, nothing is off limits now. (Alicia just got engaged a few months ago and we were talking bachelorette parties. I told her I'd kept all the ton of stuff from mine this summer and offered her whatever. I believe the conversation ended with "How do you feel about penis straws?" and her replying, embarrassed, "Nickie! Mom is right here!")
I guess she hasn't had the "I'm a grown up like my parents" epiphany yet. Mine happened the day my dad told me that if I were to drink underage like he did, I should at least be smart about it. This from the same man who used to regularly grill my sister and I on the drug scene at our high school.
We totally dropped the ball on the appropriate concert attire. There was not a huge pair of funky glasses or an I <3 Elton shirt among us. We were going to buy conert tee's, but they were just ugly. Come on, there's not a single person working for Elton John, king of the flashy jumpsuits, who realized that these shirts sucked?! I contemplated the tank with the word Bitch in rhinestones, but for $45, I'll make it myself with stuff from Hobby Lobby!
So, anyway, Elton kicked ass. He played for two and a half hours. No intermission, no nothing. Every song I love but one ("This Train Don't Stop"). All old ones--I think "Candle in the Wind" was probably the most recent. And I love a good audience participation song and it was "Crocodile Rock"--the audience was in charge of the waaaaaaaaaaah-wah-wah-wah-wah-waaaaaaaaaah's in the chorus.
My favorite part was the encore. Of course, I called my husband who was working that night to rub it in that I was having an awesome time and he texted me back that he was there. He works for the university and is in charge of all the alcohol stuff for the Alumni Center and the stadium and arena. Elton's people called before the encore to say they needed more Guiness for the bus, so Patrick brought it over. He was backstage next to Elton's bodyguard when I called. Who do you think was jealous then?!
So Elton comes back on stage wearing tiger ears! Mizzou was playing Nebraska the next night at home (we kicked their cornhusking asses all over Columbia, 41-6) and the whole town was going crazy about that, so, even though he admitted to playing in Omaha that night, he sported the tiger pride to the gayest tee I've seen in a while.
So, summary: Elton kicked ass, Tigers won, Chiefs lost, but I don't even care because the tickets were free.